


Better Late than Never

by NighttimeSabbatical



Category: Tales of Berseria
Genre: Angst, Earth Sibs Feels, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 10:34:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17160407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NighttimeSabbatical/pseuds/NighttimeSabbatical
Summary: Months have passed since the time Eizen said he'd be home, so Edna decided to see him herself and demand an explanation. But the reason for his prolonged absence isn't what she expected.





	Better Late than Never

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Angelle_wings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelle_wings/gifts).



Edna crouched between two crates, watching the crew of the Van Eltia unload their cargo. Waiting for Eizen to show himself.  
  
She hadn't seen him in over a year. He'd told her in a letter a few months back that he'd visit her once his business with Velvet Crowe was finished, but that time had come and gone, as evidenced by the fact that humans could no longer see malakim. Oh, he'd sent her a pathetic little note saying he'd take longer to get to Rayfalke Spiritcrest than he expected, carefully neglecting to mention the reason for the delay, but Edna could see right through him: he was stalling.  
  
For what reason, she didn't know. So after a few more months of nothing from him, she finally decided that if he wouldn't come to see her, then she'd just have to go see him instead. See what he had to say about that.

  
Finally she spotted him, leaving the Captain's cabin. He didn't even glance in the direction of where she perched on the docks—didn't even scan the docks at all.  
  
Wasn't he always telling her that she had to be cautious, because the world of humans was a dangerous place? Clearly he didn't even listen to his own advice. And what with his proclivity for running headlong into danger, plus the Reaper's Curse on top of that, it was a wonder he'd even stayed alive this long. Idiot.  
  
He smiled as he watched the crew's antics, and laughed when they laughed. She had no idea why he insisted on staying with the Van Eltia now that humans couldn't see him. Sometimes, her brother was too sentimental for his own good.  
  
She didn't want to reveal herself, not quite yet. From what she could tell nothing was noticeably amiss with Eizen, so why hadn't he returned home yet? He clearly wasn't otherwise occupied—if he'd wanted to come and visit her, he would have.  
  
So whatever, in his mind, was preventing him from doing so ... she'd make him spit it out.  
  
As the crew finished hauling the cargo to the docks, a small group of them broke off, and Eizen followed. Perfect—they'd pass right by her hiding spot.  
  
_Wait for it ... wait for it ..._  
  
When Eizen came directly in front of her, she pounced—literally. She clung to his back, arms wrapped around his neck, legs wrapped around his waist.  
  
He gave a strangled yell and grabbed at her, at least until she said, "It's me, idiot."  
  
"Edna?" He turned his head to look at her face. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"You never came, so I decided to come to you instead."  
  
"You shouldn't have. The world of humans is a dangerous place, especially for a young malak like yourself—"  
  
"Says the guy who was shamelessly ambushed by his little sister," Edna said, rolling her eyes. "I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself, thanks."  
  
"Still—"  
  
"And don't you try to turn the tables on me. It's me who should be angry with you, not the other way around," she said, giving him a pinch. "You never came to see me even though you said you would, and then you gave me a stupid excuse as to why you did not. Flaking out on me, brother? Really?"  
  
He glanced away, and said nothing to counter her. He knew she was right.  
  
"Is it because of the Reaper's Curse?" she continued. "You know I don't care about any of that. Do I need to set you straight again?"  
  
"It's ... not because of the Reaper's Curse," he said haltingly.  
  
"So you admit it. Why, then? Enlighten me."  
  
He swallowed thickly, suddenly looking ... afraid? "We shouldn't be having this conversation here. Let's go to a quiet place so I can properly explain—"  
  
"No. I've waited long enough for you." Almost unconsciously, she tightened her fists around him. "I want the truth, now. Out with it."  
  
Still he hesitated, but Edna stared him down, sure that he'd give it up eventually. Eizen wasn't someone who could deny his little sister for long.  
  
He let out a breath. "Okay. I don't know when exactly, but sooner or later, I'm going to turn into a dragon."  
  
Silence. For a few long, long moments, just ... silence. She waited for him to say more, to elaborate, but he said nothing.  
  
Suddenly she laughed. "No you're not. Is this just the Reaper's Curse talking? Because you can knock it off—I'm not falling for it."  
  
"The Curse may have brought it on, but the results are palpable enough. I killed a dragon, and most of its malevolence entered me."  
  
She stared intently at his face. The way he looked—so solemn, so _defeated_ ...  
  
_No._  
  
In a blink, she shed her physical body in favour of becoming earthen energy, and darted toward the outer limits of town—not intending to leave entirely, but to go somewhere quiet. To be alone.  
  
Eizen didn't follow her, and for that, she was glad. She didn't want him to see her like this.  
  
She found the perfect spot just inside the bay: the ledge of a cliff overlooking the sea, a treacherous spot no human would dare traverse. She recovered her physical form, and before long, hot tears streamed down her cheeks. She hugged her knees, feeling like a stupid little kid again, incapable of handling her own emotions.  
  
Eizen would be a dragon one day. One day, maybe soon, he'd turn into a monster—permanently.  
  
He'd never be the same again.  
  
She'd never see him again.  
  
How could she ever face that?  


*  
  
  
Eizen watched Edna leave. She'd taken the news about as well as he'd expected, which was to say, not well at all.  
  
After seeing her face crumple like that all he wanted to do was go after her, but he knew she needed time alone to process it. She never liked to be emotional, especially in front of others, even her own brother. He'd give her the distance she needed.  
  
But not for too long. She needed him. More than ever, he bitterly regretted not making the trip to Rayfalke Spiritcrest, for being too much of a coward to tell her sooner. She deserved better than that.  
  
He waited about half an hour, sitting on the docks and watching humans go about their daily business. It was lonely, no longer being able to he seen by them, but he couldn't bring himself to actually miss it. The memory of what they had done to his brethren was too fresh in his mind.

  
Finally he stood, then like Edna, dissipated into his spirit self. He headed in the direction she'd fled.  
  
It didn't take long to find her on the cliff, watching the roiling sea. As he retook his physical form a few feet away from her, she glanced at him, but swiftly turned back to the sea. His throat constricted at the sight of her tear-streaked face.  
  
He sat next to her, silent. When she was ready, she would talk.  
  
After a few minutes, she finally did. Her voice would have been the epitome of serenity had it not been so raw from her crying. "How long have you known?"  
  
"A few months." He explained how it had all come about. How Zaveid dedicated his life to protecting Theodora, clinging to her even though she wasn't even _there_ anymore. Eizen's decision that the only way the both of them could find salvation was through Theodora's death. And as Eizen had struck the killing blow ... the dragon's malevolence had soaked him. Even now, he could feel it inside him, twisting and turning. It lay dormant, but one day, it would overwhelm him.  
  
The thought terrified him more than he could say.  
  
"You're such an idiot," Edna said as he finished.  
  
"I know."  
  
"You care about others too much—you let yourself suffer, just so they'll be happy. But did you ever think about how _I'd_ feel about you turning into a dragon?" Eizen didn't miss the slight tremor in her voice, nor the way her arms tightened around her legs.  
  
"I couldn't stop thinking about you." Edna had been the only one he'd thought about as the dragon's malevolence had suffocated him, threatening to transform him into that very same beast. "But I still had to do it, despite the risks. There are some things that are worth even the possibility of dying to achieve."  
  
Edna only glared at him. He knew she wouldn't understand what he meant, but perhaps one day she would.  
  
One day when he wasn't around.  
  
"But worse," Edna said, her voice finally cracking, "you avoided telling me, all because you'd rather suffer alone than tell me the truth. You know I hate it when you leave me in the dark. Did you think me so weak that I couldn't handle it?"  
  
"Edna," he said, gently. "I'm sorry. I should have told you, as soon as I knew. I'm ..." He let out a shuddering breath. "I'm so sorry."  
  
She threw herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around him and grabbing fistfuls of his trenchcoat. Her voice was muffled by his chest as she said, "You idiot. You _bastard_."  
  
All he could do was gently wrap his arms around her shoulders and hold her close. "Shh, it's okay," he murmured, knowing full well that it was anything but. With a start he realized his gaze was misted over, with tears that threatened to fall. But—he never cried.  
  
Until now, he supposed.  
  
He hated to hurt Edna like this, but he knew now more than ever that he wouldn't be there forever to protect her. She was strong—she would survive. What she didn't know was that he needed her just as much as she needed him.  
  
The only thing left to do was cherish the time they had left with each other.

 


End file.
